Teenage murders in London rocket to highest rate since 2008 as 28 young people slain so far in 2021

TEENAGE murders in London have rocketed to their highest rate in more than a decade with 28 young people killed so far in 2021.

The shocking figures lay bare the chilling reality of knife crime in the capital, with fears teen homicides could hit record levels this year.

The previous peak for teenage killings in London was 29 in 2008, with 27 killed in 2017.

Three 14-year-old boys and three 15-year-old boys were among the victims so far this year, the majority of whom were stabbed to death.

Another three teenage boys suffered gunshot wounds.

Last week, Rishmeet Singh, 16, became the latest teenage to be fatally knifed in the capital.

He was stabbed to death just yards from the home in Southall, West London, that he shared with his disabled mum.

Pals said student Rishmeet was his mum’s sole carer and that he worked odd jobs to support her.

Six days earlier on November 18, 14-year-old Jermaine Cools was stabbed to death in Croydon, South London.

Jermaine’s heartbroken mum said: “For a 14-year-old he was like the head of our family. He was so grown up.

“He was always happy and always smiling, just your average 14-year-old.”

In April, Fares Maatou was stabbed to death outside a pizza restaurant in Canning Town, East London.

Two 15-year-old boys have denied stabbing the schoolboy to death with a sword hidden inside a walking stick.

During the attack an electric scooter that Fares had with him was taken.

Last month, 18-year-old Afghan refugee Hazrat Wali was stabbed to death on a football pitch in Twickenham, South West London.

A 16-year-old boy has been charged with his murder.

Last Thursday, the Met announced it had seized nearly 300 knives and arrested almost 1,000 people in a week-long crackdown on knife crime.

Operation Sceptre saw 937 arrests and 2,745 weapon sweeps in an “intensification” of police efforts to stamp out knife attacks.

Superintendent Jim Corbett, who led Op Sceptre for the Met, said: “Knife crime completely destroys victims, families and communities, which is why tackling it is our top priority.

“Operation Sceptre is an intensification of the work we already do relentlessly every single day.

“Officers will continue doing everything they can to target those intent on committing violent crime on our streets, to make London safer.”